[Resolved!] Verizon Wireless -> Google Voice Number Porting

[jayjanssen]

My first attempt at this I mistakenly gave GV the wrong billing password on the port request.  Without realizing this, I got a new number on the my verizon page.  After this was all done, I got an email from GV telling me that the port failed.  Even after fixing the billing password, the port would no longer go through.

I had to call Verizon customer support and ask for my old number back.  While this was inconvenient, I am happy to report the support agent I got was able to help me get it back without a big hassle.  She did confirm I am not "supposed" to be able to port a number away from Verizon that is under contract and suggested I move the number temporarily to some old device on my account (and presumably paid for a few days of service) while I ported it away.  This seemed like a good suggestion, but I had no such device to associate it with.  If you are attempting this and you have an old unused verizon phone, it might be "safer" to try this instead.

Anyway, I got my old number back and re-initiated the port to GV.  We'll see how it goes this time. 

[tkimball83]

This method worked for me!  It took exactly 24 hours to port my number.  I'm still waiting on the SMS portion, but I'm a happy camper so far!

[dsmero]

Congratulations enjoy GV

[jsermer]

i can confirm that the process has worked for me as well.  exactly 24 hours until my number was ported and i expect in a couple days i'll begin receiving text messages as well.  thanks for blazing the trail

[Klause]

I'm getting ready to try this method, but slightly differently.  I've recently gained control of a cell phone line that I was paying for that was being used by an ex-girlfriend.  I contacted her and told her I was taking over the line since I was paying for it anyway, it's nice because it has unlimited data grandfathered in.  To make a long story short, I'm going to create a google account for the express purpose of porting her old number into Google Voice, with the intention of giving her access to the Google Voice account so that people that don't know her new number will still be able to reach her on her old one.  If I just change the number, inbound calls and texts to her old number will be lost.

So, here's where I'm going to try this differently.  I'm not wanting to risk losing the grandfathered unlimited data plan at all, so I'm going to try the reverse of what folks on this thread and others have done, I'm going to change the cell number first on My Verizon, THEN initiate the port at Google Voice.  I'm thinking it won't make any difference as long as both tasks are done at roughly the same time.  I've read where old numbers exist in a held state for 30 days or more before they released back into the available pool.

Has anyone tried it this way instead of doing the Google Voice port first?

Thanks!

[jayjanssen]

Klause,

  My experience was that my first port failed (due to a bad password in the GV porting request) and when I tried again within minutes *after* I had changed my number on the VZW page, subsequent GV port requests would not go through -- Verizon claimed it was not my number.  FTR, I was able to retrieve my number by calling Verizon support.

  I'd guess that if you changed your number first, the GV port for the old number would not work.

[ed2day]

My story is similar--wrong billing password. The important thing I want to point out is that your billing password is not necessarily the same as your online password. This was my mistake. The error comes back in a few minutes telling you improper password.

I too lost my number and had to retrieve it. No big deal, about 15 min. on the phone.

After retrieving my number, I tried again to port to google voice--this time without first changing numbers at verizon. It was successful.

Other details: I was a second phone on the account, i.e. not the account holder. We had the corporate discount(under my employer) and unlimited data. Both seem to be intact. Though I'm not sure why people value unlimited data since they throttle back the data rate severly past a certain amount downloaded.

[naim_fanek]

Can someone please explain to me what they did to get this? So they initiated the port with GV and then right after changed their Verizon # online ? (is that how it works?). Because I want to port my # out to GV.. give my contract/line to someone else & then port from GV to my new provider, page plus.

[naim_fanek]

Also does this method work with a Iphone 4?

[#10]

dsmero wrote:

This does indeed work and still works to date. While it may not be a sure bet, it seems to be the only real method.

Verizon may not want everyone to know or do this easily as it will allow everyone to cancel their text plans. No need for a text plan when Google Voice is 100% free.

With Share Everything unlimited texting is included so it can't be seperated to save money. And Verizon stated that as of Dec 31, 23% of all their customers are on Share Everything I see as time goes on Google Voice will be moot. I can see at least half of all Verizon customers being on Share Everything by this time next year.

Also if you're on a family line of say 4 or 5 people $30 for unlimtied texting for everyone might not seem so bad to some.